Automatic railroad-crossing signal



Sept. 29, 1925. y i

N. P. vANcE AUTOMATIC RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL l 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 5, 1923 N. P. VAN

AUTOMATIC RMLROAD cRossxNG SIGNAL v mlm Sapa 5, 1923l 4 sneis-sheet f 2 ATV mil/U..

Sept. 29, 1925.

N. P. VANCE.

ATOMATIC RAILROAD CROSSINGl SIGNAL i 4 Sheets-Shea# 5 Filed Sept. 5, 1923 Sept.. 29, 3925.

N. P. VANCE AUTOMATIC RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. i Z ZH Filed Sept. 5, 1923 l... Il

LEM

fl l) Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,555,532 PATENT OFFICE.

NINEVAH P. VANCE, 0F JOHNSON CITY TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM C. THORNTON, OF JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE.

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD-CROSSING SIGNAL.

.Application filed September 5, 1923.

To all whom t may concern.' i

Be it known that I, NINEVAH P. VANCE, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Johnson City, in the rcounty of Washington and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Auto-V maticRailroad-Crossing Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic railroad crossing signal and alarm, and has tor an object the Vprovision of means whereby the train wheels, in passing along the rails within a predetermined distance of the road crossing, operates instrumentalities for displaying a visual danger signal and sounding an audible alarm.

Another object of this invention is. to provide automatic. means for cooperating with the wheels of a train as it passes from the signal zone for restoring the visual signal to its normal or housed position, silencing the audible alarm, and setting the device 'for automatic cooperation with trains which are traveling in either direction.

A `further object of this invention is to provide a railroad crossing signal and alarm in which the movement of the visual signal establishes and breaks an electrical circuit for operating an additional signal and alarm. Y

An additional object of this invention is to provide an automatic railroad signal and alarm constructed to cooperate with trains of all lengths, thereby insuring the device against injury when operated by a train longer than the distance between the terminals of the signal zone.

.lt is also an object of this invention to provide an automatic railroad signal and alarm of generally improved construction, ywhereby the device will be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well as eliicient, positive and practical in vits use.

Vitli the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment oi' the invention herein disclosed, may bemade within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Serial No. 661,068.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiments in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevationof the device showing the signal board in its displayed position, and the housing for the spaced shafts and disks being removed;

Figure 2 is a planfviewo-f the device.l said housings being remo-ved; 7

VFigure 3 is a. fragmental longitudinal sectional view depicting the operative relation betweenv spaced primary and secondary movable members;

Figure 4 is a fragmental transverse secf tional view taken on the line 4-410f Figure 1, fremote parts being omitted;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line G-GY'of Figure l. i l Figure 7 is a fragmental vertical'sectional view taken through the sign Vhousing and showing the cooperative relation between way S. A rectangular hou-sing 11 is secured to the posts 10 a suitable distance above the roadway, and includes spaced side walls 11, end walls 11, and top 11C. The bottom of the housing `11 is open, as shown at 12, to slidably board 13. i

Cables Mare secured to the opposed end of the signal-board 13 and extend upwardly through tubular guide members 15 and are trained around and secured within-annular grooves 16 oficompositepulleys or sheaves 17. These pulleys 17 are mounted on rollers 18 whichrotate about spindles 19, and each spindle is secured at itsinner end to a supporting plate 20 suitably secured to the posts receive a rectangular sign or signalfor the reception of cables or flexible elements 25, and these cables are trained over pulley 26 journaled o-n posts 27 which are positioned. at the opposed terminals o-f the signal Zone.

The pulleys 26 are journaled on roller bearings 28 supported by plates 29 `and brackets 30 similar to those carried by the posts 10. Small pulleys 31'are carried by the pulleys 26 and these relatively small pulleys are operably connected to pulleys 32 by cables v33, and these cables are interrupted by helical extension springs or other yielding means 34, for the purpose which 4 will be-hereinafter disclosed.

Each pulley 32` is secured to a horizontal shaft 35 which is journaled in spaced bearings 36, carried by ground bars or sills 37. -An enlargement 38 is formed intermediate p the ends of each shaft 35,'and one end of a lever 39 is loosely mounted for rotation 'upon this enlargement. A squared or rectangular portion 40 is formed on the shaft 35 adjacentY the enlargement 38 andis positioned within a squared aperture 41 formed at the axis of a disk 42, and a shoulder 43 formed on the shaft 35 engages one face of this disk. Mounted upon the enlargement 38 is a securing disk 44 having a vcircular axial aperture 45 surrounding this enlargement, and the disks 42 and 44 are spaced apart by opposed segmental stop blocks or members 46 which are secured between the disks by bolts or other securing devices. ,The segmental stop members 46 are disposed in diametrical opposition and define segmental recesses 47 therebetween to permit a limited free movement of the lever upon the shaft relative to the stop members and disks. A portion of the cylindrical enlargement 38 is threaded for the reception of a nut 48 which engages the outer -face of the disk 44, thereby rigidly securing the disks 42 and 44 upon the shaft 35. The free end of each lever is positioned adjacent one of the rails R and extends a suitable distance above the rail in a portion to cooperate with the flange of the ordinary car or engine wheel W, and this-lever is normally held in a vertical position by opposedhelical springs 49, which are attached at their inner terminals to the lever 39, and are secured at their outer ends to spaced cross timbers or supports 50 carried by the sills 37 Since the levers 39 are positioned in the path of travel of the train and are moved by the train independently of the disks 42 and 44, these levers Provide primary movable members positioned for predetermined cooperation with composite secondary movable members 'including the disks 42 and 44 and the shafts 35.

A housing 51 incloses the shaft 35, pulley 32 and the disks, and each housing is provided with an elongated slot 52 through which the lever 39 operates, while apertures 53 are provided to permit the cable 33 to pass therethrough.

The signal-board may be provided with' any `suitable illuminating means, and there is shown an electric lamp 54 secured in a bracket 55 carried by the lower end of the signal-board. Electrical conductors 56 and 57 lead from the lamp to terminal contact pieces 58. These contact pieces 58 are positioned in the end edge of the signal-board adjacent the upper terminal thereof, and have their outer faces exposed to cooperate with spring terminal lingers 59 which are carried by the housing 11 in the path of travel of the contact pieces 58 and are electrically connected to conductors 60 and 61, the conductor 60 leading to one side of an electric alarm bell 62,-while the conductor 61 leads to a storage battery or other source of electric supply 63. The alarm bell 62 is preferably carried by the signal-board housing 11 and the storage battery is supported within an. enclosure 64 carried by the post 10, and a. conductor 65 leads from the bell 62 to the battery 63. A switch 66 is interposed in the lineof the conductor 65 and is preferably positioned Within the enclosure 64, to which access may be gained by a hinged door or closure 64a.

In operation, assuming that a train is travelling towards the right, in Figure 1, a-nd the wheels W engage the left'lever or primary movable member 39 and move it about its fulcrum towards the right. This action causes this lever to engage its segmental stop 46 and move it to the position shown in dotted lines, at 67, in Figure 3, thereby rotating the shaft 35, disks 42 and 44 and the pulley 32 towards theright, which in turn rotates the disks 42 and 44, at the right end of the signal zone. toward the left through the instrumentality of the interposed pulley and cables, which have been described. Since the pulleys -17 rotate in synchronism but-in opposed directions, it is obvious that the signal-board 13 ywill be lowered from the housing in a horizontal position, where it will display any preferred warning sign, and in the present instance the word Danger is inscribed thereolv IThen the signal-board 13 reaches its lowermost position Athen the contact piecesv 58 will contact with the spring fingers 59 and complete the electric circuit, thereby causing the alarm bell to ring and the signal lamp to light. -The signal remains in this condition until the train reaches the right end of the signal zone where it engages the right lever 39 and rotates it to the dotted position shown at 68 in Figure 3. This action elevates the signal-board 13 to its housed position and resets the entire device so that it mayfagain be operated by trains travelling in `either direction. As the signalboard moves upwardlyl it causes the contact pieces 58 todisengage the fingers 59 and breaks the electric circuit, thus silencing the alarm bell and extinguishing the signal light. i v

It a train of unusual length, `or one which is longer than the length of the signal Zone, should pass along the rails and operate the right lever 39 While the leftlever is. de-' pressed, thenthe right spring 34 of the cables 33 Willv yield and permit the components to operate Without injury to the device. lVhen the train Wheels disengages the levers 39, they, under the influence of the springs 49, will be returned to their vertical or set position. Since the pulleys 31 are smaller than the pulleys 26, itis obvious that `on a slight rotation of the lever 39 Will impart an increasedmovement t-o the signalboard to lower it to its displayed position.

A mechanically operated alarm device is shown in Figure 9and comprises a pulley 17a journaled on a post l0 and having a plurality of pins or projections 69 extending from one ,face thereof and positioned to cooperate with the terminal of a swinging arm 7 0. The arm 7 0 is pivoted Within a bell 71 at the axis thereof, and extends through g slot 7 2 formed at the periphery of the bell Bowed spring members -7 3 are secured to the arm adjacent itspivotal point, and these spring members 73 carry clappers 74 at their outer ends. The arm 70 is normally held in a vertical position by opposed springs 75 which are secured to brackets 76 carried by the posts 10a.

When the pulley .17a is rotated, a pin 69 moves theouter end of the armto one side about its pivot until this pin 69 moves from engagement With 'the arm 70. Now one of the springs 7 violently pulls Athe arm back towards its vertical position and this sudden movement of the arm 70 about its pivot causesthe clappers 74, in response to-centrifuga-l action, toy impinge against the peripheral portion of the bell thereby sounding the alarm bell. w- L Y Having thus 4described my invention,

what I claim as new is l. An automatic railroad crossing signal including a .secondary movable member positioned at one terminal of a signal Zone, a signal member, means for operably connecting the signal member and the secondary movable member, a primary movable member normally positioned in the path of travel of the train and operably associated with the secondary movable member to operate the signal member when the primary movable member is operated by the moving train, the primary movable member being movable independently Vof theV secondary movable member during phases of its operation, and means for moving the primary movable member to its `normal position inlcjlependently of the secondary movable memer. Y

2. An automatic railroad crossing signal including a secondary movable member positioned at one terminal of a signal zone, a signal member, yielding means for oper-` ably connecting the signal member with the' secondary movable member, a primary movable member normally positioned in the path of travel of they train and operably associated With the secondary movable member to operate the signal member when the primary movable member is operated by the moving train, means for moving the primary movable member to its normal position independently of the secondary movable member. i

3. An automatic railroad crossing 'signal including a secondary movable member positioned at the entrance of a signal zone, an alarm signal, means for operably connecting the signal With the secondary movable member, a primary movable member-normally positioned in the path of travel of lthe train and operably associated with the secondary movable member to put the signal in alarm condition when the primary mov-l able member is operated by the train in entering the signal zone, a secondary movable member positioned at the outlet of the,` signal zone and operably connected with the signal, a primary movable member normally positioned in the path of travel of the train `at the outlet of the signal zone and operably associated With this secondary movable member to restore the alarm signal to normal condition When this primary movable member is operated by the train in leaving the signal zone, said primary movable members being movable independently of the secondary movable members during phases of their operation, and means for moving the primary movable members to their normal position independently of the secondary movable members. 1 i

4. An automatic railroad crossing signal including a secondaryy movable member positioned at the entrance of a signal zone, an alarm signal, yielding means for operably connecting the signal With the secondary. movable member, a primary movable member normally positioned in the path of travel of the train and operably associated with the secondary movable member to put the signal in alarm condition when the primary movable member is operated by the train in entering the signal zone, a secondary movable member positioned at the outlet ofthe signal Zone, yieldingmeans for operably connecting the secondary movable member which is positioned at the outlet of the signal Zone with the signal, a primary movable member normally positioned in the path of travel of the train at the outlet of the signal zone `and operablyassociated with this secondary movable member to restore the alarm signal to normal condition when this primary movable memberis operated by the train in leaving the signal Zone, said primary movable member being movable independently of the secondary movable members during phases of their operation, and means for moving the primary movable members to their normal position independently of the secondary movable members.

5. An automatic railroad crossing signal including a secondary movable member positioned at each terminal of a signal zone, an alarm signal, means for operably connecting each secondary movable member to the said signal, a primary movable member normally positioned in the path of travel of the train and -operably associated with each secondary movable member, and yielding means-for moving each primary movable member toits normal position independently of ther cooperating secondary movable member. Y 6. An automatic railroad crossing signa including a rotatable shaft, a lever fulcrumed adjacent to the axis of the shaft and 'movable independently of the shaft, means for normally maintaining the lever in the path of travel of the train, stop members rigidly supported relative to the shaft and positioned in theA path of movement of the lever to limit the independent movement of the lever and to be engaged by the lever torotate the shaft during ypredetermined phases of operation of the lever, an alarm signal, and means for operably connecting the alarm signal and the shaft to operate the alarmy signal.

7. An automatic railroad crossing signal including separate rotatable shafts, a lever loosely mounted upon each shaft and positioned in the path of travel of the train, a disk rigidlyA secured to each shaft and positioned adjacent the levers, stop members carried by the disk and positioned to cooperate With the levers to permit a limited move- -ment of the levers independently of the disks andto be engaged by the levers to move the disks during predetermined phases of operation of the levers', means -for normally maintaining the levers in set positions, a visual signal, and means for-operl ably connecting the said shafts and the visual signal to move the signal to and from displayed position When the said levers lare moved by their engagement with the moving train.

8. An automaticrailroad crossing signal pulleys and operably connecting the visual signal and the rotatable shafts, means for normally holding the levers vin their set positions inthe path of travel of the traim'and `stop.members carried by the disk to cooper'- ate withv the levers to move thevisual signal toits displayed andy undisplayed positions when the lever is moved by engagement with the moving train to Yimpart motion to the said disks.

9. Anlautomaticrailroad crossing signal including a rotatable shaft, a lever fulcrumed adjacent the" axis of the shaft vand movable independently of the, shaft, means for normally maintaining the lever in the path of travel of thevtrain, stop members supported by the shaft and positioned in the path of movement ofthe lever to limit the independent movement of the lever and to be engaged by thev lever to rotate the shaft during predetermined phases of *operation ofthe lever, an alarm signal, and yielding means for operably connecting the alarm signal and the shaftfto operate the alarm signal( l0. An automatic railroad crossing signal including-a rotatable shaft positioned at theentrance of a signal zone, an alarm signal, means for operably connecting the signal and the shaft, a Vlever fulcrumed adjacent the axis of the shaft and normally positioned in the path of travel of the train, stop members rigidly supported relative to thev shaft and positioned in the path of movement of the lever, said lever engaging the stop member to put the signal in alarm condition when the lever is engaged by the train in entering the lsignal zone, a rotatable shaft positionedy at the outlet of the signal zoneI and operably connected -With the alarm signal,'a lever operably associated ywith the shaft which is positioned at the outlet ofthe sign-al zone'to restore the signal to'normal condition When this lever is operatedby the train in leaving the signal zone, said levers being movable independently ofthe shafts during phases of their operation.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. f

NINEVAH P, VANCE. 

